The Apathetic Empath
by ChaoticLoki
Summary: Seto commits suicide when he is pushed over the edge. At his funeral, Jou confesses his love to the dead boy while Kaiba's spirit watches. Kaiba's not going to be happy when he finds that Jou's simple words have revived him. Warnings inside!
1. Prologue: The Death of a Businessman

New story, yay! Now maybe I should get to work on my other ones XD I couldn't help writing this idea, it just sort of came to me. I'm not quite sure where it's going yet, but I'm pretty excited to find out. Let me know what you think. End it here or continue on? Thanks!

Warnings: Language, adult theme, and lots of citrusy goodness further on.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, I've just kidnapped the characters and thrown them into my own plotline.

~EmpatheticApathy~

* * *

Blood slowly slid down a pale, smooth surface, to a shoe and down off the shoelace of a now lifeless body. From above, a young boy looked at the body that was dangling from a crimson covered noose. He knew all too well the story that had led him to such drastic measures as slitting his wrists and hanging himself, taking care to seal his fate. He had been watching himself for some time now, probably about 15 minutes. It was a quick death, painful, but it had gotten the job done. He no longer had any desire to exist, and so, Seto Kaiba had chosen to end his life.

He was only 16 years old, but life had handed him so much shit to deal with, and at such a young age, he had naturally been defeated. No one would ever look upon the semi handsome features of the youth again. He would never again be among his classmates. No one would ever have the chance to be proud of his brilliant mind again. He had exited our world, or perhaps in his mind, escape was the proper word. No matter what term one might use, it simply meant that Seto Kaiba was dead…

About 8 hours later he was found dead by his younger brother Mokuba. The younger boy had immediately called 911, and then had curled up in the corner, crying. He had never imagined that he would see a pale, stiff version of his brother hanging from a bloody noose. This had to be some kind of cruel joke. Then again, his brother wasn't the type to play such a joke on anyone.

When the paramedics came, they confirmed his worst fear. His brother had permanently left this world. It was the hardest thing the boy had ever had to experience. The brunet was watching from above, unable to believe how hurt his brother was by this act. In the past few months, Seto had begun to suspect that Mokuba hated because the boy would often avoid him. He didn't really talk to his older brother that often, and they barely even saw each other.

Seto had decided that everyone was better off without him, including the younger brother that he had come to love so much. No one needed him, no one wanted him. He was better off not existing. At this time, he was still dealing with the scars from his past, trying every day to overcome them. It was a deadly combination, which he soon discovered. He couldn't handle the pain that came with his thoughts. It was killing him, eating him up inside.

He had never thought that anyone would mourn his death. He wasn't a good person, or someone that was really loved. He was a lonely man that pushed everyone away because if they got close to him, they would sure to hurt him in way or another. He was too vulnerable when his guard was down, and that vulnerability was a weakness he was not willing to allow. He felt that if he gave someone the chance, they would take advantage of him in one way or another. He would never let that happen.

One Week Later

Seto was at his funeral, looking down on the audience, surprised at how many people had shown up to pay their respects. He had never really been a popular person, as his attitude had kept people at bay. The first people that caught his besides his brother were that tricolor haired freak Yugi and his band of cheerleaders. He wasn't exactly sure why they had shown up, but it was making him sick to his stomach. He didn't give a shit about them, and he certainly would never have shown up to anything of theirs, including their funeral.

There was always one presence in the group that caught his eye. The blonde, known to others as Jounouchi, though Seto had famously referred to him as the mutt. He didn't have much respect for Jounouchi Katsuya from what others saw, but internally, Seto had been fighting with himself for years about his real feelings towards the idiot. He had never expected to fall in love with anyone, though he wasn't surprised that it was a male that had made his way past the icy exterior into Seto's fragile heart. He had a difficult time relating to most people, especially Jou. They had come from 2 completely different lives, they had been on opposite ends of the spectrum. So why was it that the blonde intrigued him in such a way? Seto still had yet to figure that out.

His focus remained on Jou for most of the service, watching his reactions. When everyone was leaving, Seto had expected Jou to file out as well, but he stayed there instead. This came as quite a surprise to the brunet. However, it was what Jou said next that would have Seto even more surprised. Never had he expected to hear such words out of the blonde.

"Seto… I'm sorry I couldn't save you… I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough, or good enough. But know this, if you can hear me. I will always love you, dream of being yours, and I will never give my heart to another." Jou whispered it to the lifeless body that was laid out in it's casket while tears streamed down his cheeks. Never would he have dreamed of hearing such words from the boy that had stole his heart. And it was those words that would truly seal his fate.

Some time ago, he had heard an old poem talking of a lonely man who was loved only by one other. This person was family, his own blood, and he could never do anything to hurt the boy. However, his life was miserable, just like Seto's had been, and like the teen, the man had committed suicide. He had tied himself to a heavy piece of wood and walked into a lake, going into the deep end. He dropped it and was dragged to his watery grave. Another had come to the edge of the water about 7 days later and had told him of her love. She had promised the same way that Jou had to never stop loving him, to love only him, and to never give her heart to another. In that moment, something struck the surface of the water, and his body rose to the top, floating _against _the current to where she was kneeling. He opened his eyes and lifted a hand to her face, giving her the very first real smile he had ever shown to anyone outside of family. The very same day that he had drowned himself, the man had cast a spell that if one not of blood could love him just for him, he would vow to come back for them and spend every bit of life they had left with them, dying once more when they did. He would be bonded to her in this way, through this life and the next.

The man had gained the power of foresight, being able to see what would happen in the future. It took some time for the power to be in his control, but he finally learned how to turn it off and on. In that life, he became a fortune teller, speaking to others of how their lives were going to turn out. He was an honest man, never lying to others, who lived a happy life with his wife, and died for the second time in peace, happy with his life's achievements. Seto had a difficult time believing in magic, as he was more of a logical thinker. But there was no other explanation for what was about to happen.

Jou was still standing by the casket, saying his last goodbyes as tears dripped down his cheeks onto the pale, cold body beneath him. He had been holding Seto's hand for a few minutes now, and was having a hard time letting go. He needed Seto, which he had admitted to himself, even if he had never been able to admit it to the brunet. He didn't know why it had to be Kaiba, and he didn't care. What mattered was that Seto was the one that he needed, especially now.


	2. Chapter 1: Back From the Dead

Well, it looks like this chapter is a bit shorter than the last. I've been having issues with inspiration, so updates are taking awhile, but this one needed one. Please don't forget to tell me how good/bad, they are. Flames are accepted, for I am a poor college student who cannot afford the heating bills. I feel like I'm forgetting something. Oh well! Enjoy!

~The Apathetic Empath~

* * *

Seto was surprised to find himself wrenched from the scene of the sobbing blond and onto a path of blue orchids and roses. He looked down, seeing a beautiful silver trail beneath him, wondering just where this was meant to lead. Being human, his curiosity got the better of him and he found his feet leading him down the path and to something that strongly resembled the Magician of Faith. He might have been ready to dismiss this as a simple hallucination if he wasn't dead. Next to her stood the Mystical Elf, already in the middle of a chant. Behind them was a figure whom resembled Change of Heart, meant to judge a soul's purity and then either allow it to pass into Paradise or be damned to spend an eternity in the Underworld.

"Seto Kaiba... It is not your time to die." The Magician of Faith looked upon him with dark eyes and a soft expression. "My colleague is in the middle of a chant that will allow you to return to the Other World. Because of the life you had left, we have chosen a special punishment for you. It is a gift as well as a curse. Now I shall translate my colleague's chant so that you may understand:

"By the earth and by the sea

Emotionless so you shall be

A great gift from you we take

But give you something in its place

Emotion of others you will know

This is the gift we shall bestow

You are the Apathetic Empath

So it shall be."

Seto was not being subtle about the fact that he was annoyed. He wanted that stupid witch to shut up and let him pass. Listening to the chant made him wonder just what exactly they were making him into until it was revealed in the last two parts of the chant. Apathetic Empath? How original. All he wanted was simply to move on to the Underworld, seeing as he was almost certain that his soul was meant to be damned.

They watched him for a moment before the Maigcian of Faith used a few tears to revive him. She was amused by his parting expression, and she turned to the Mystical Elf, letting out a happy laugh. He needed another chance to find his reason. He needed to realize that there was a certain part of his life that he was meant for. His job raising Mokuba was nearly done, but there was someone else waiting for him. Now Seto would know Jou's feelings for him, but until he promised himself to Jounouchi the same way that other had promised himself to always love Kaiba, he would remain without emotion.

Seto saw everything swirling around him, a rather trippy mixture, until finally it faded into darkness. His mind was blank and he was at peace. This wasn't death... It was sleep! His eyes moved back and forth under their lids. Any discoloration that his body undertook within the past week disappeared, and soon Seto opened his eyes. Cobalt stared into honey orbs, no feeling in them whatsoever. The absence of any sort of passion in the brunet's eyes made Jou shiver. Being as slow as he was, it was another moment before it dawned on him that the supposedly dead CEO had just suddenly snapped his eyes open as if he had been sleeping the whole time.

Jou's eyes widened as he stared at the other teen, who was now stretching and sitting up in his casket. He felt the tears coming a bit faster, surprised by what had just happened. The only thing that he could conclude was that this was all some dream, or maybe a nightmare, that he really needed to wake up from. There was no way that this was all really happening. This had to be some desire that Jou's heart had formed after he'd been told about Seto's suicide.

When Seto brushed Jou's hand, he felt a strong jolt that threw him backwards. His eyes widened as something strong coursed through his veins, but he couldn't place the emotion. It was something that Kaiba was familiar with, but hadn't felt since his father died. He stared for a moment at the blond and then sat back up with a glare. He didn't want to be back Why had they sent him back?

"What are you crying about Mutt?" Cobalt eyes looked the other teen up and down with skepticism, waiting for him to realize what had just happened to Seto. He had to laugh at the comical way that Jou's eyes bulged out of his head as what would be considered a 'dead man' rose from his casket. He wondered just how Jou was going to take this whole situation. He knew that he wasn't doing to well with it because it defied all logic, but something told him that this was far beyond his comprehension.

He hopped out of the casket, and as he did, the blond fell backwards onto his butt, still wide-eyed. He smiled, squatting down over the blond with a smirk. Jou looked scared out of his wits. Seto waited for the pleasure that he took in teasing Jou to surface, but it never came. He frowned, wondering just what was wrong with him. Perhaps disappointment? He waited once more, but no feelings surfaced. All Seto felt was emptiness unless... His eyes widened, and he touched Jou again. He could feel everything that the blond did: love, hope, heartbreak, and sadness. Why couldn't he feel anything on his own? As he let go, he felt Jou's different emotions continuing to channel into his body. Apparently the Magician and the Elf had been real.

He shook his head, trying to get a better grip on this reality. He felt his world spinning out of control around him. Seto preferred to be in control, and he needed to get his grip on life back. What the hell was going on? He looked down at the blond, holding out a hand now to help him up. Jou took it cautiously.

Seto let out a sigh, about to turn around when suddenly he felt two well-toned arms wrapping around his thin frame. Jou was hugging him, and Seto didn't really appreciate it. He went to push the smaller male away from him, not wanting to accept the hug. As far as he was concerned, the stupid mutt had no right to touch him.

There was no annoyance or irritation. There was a hole where he was meant to react to the odd series of events. All that the cold hearted CEO could feel was a longing to remember the emotions that he was suddenly missing. Perhaps he should keep the blond around as his own personal high. Making contact with Jou was the only time that the lingering hole disappeared.

Jou was looking up at him oddly, as if trying to read what he was thinking. The pup was chilled to the bone by the lack of depth in the other's eyes. Although Seto had always had the personality of an ice cube, one could usually figure out at least a smidgeon of what was going on in that brilliant mind by peering into the deep ceruleans.

Seto pushed him off, though Jou noticed that he seemed unsure. There was something about Seto that was definitely different... missing. Jou shivered, feeling a chill from the expressionless orbs now gazing at him. He decided to be stubborn as usual, tightening his grip while the CEO tried to push him away once more. Jou wasn't going to let it happen again, not now that he had the one he loved back. He was living the dream of any person who had ever lost a loved one.

Mokuba had now made his way back in, having waited by the door to receive everyone's parting words before going back to say his last goodbyes to his brother before the burial. Instead of finding the room empty and his brother's body resting in the casket he had picked, he saw Jou hugging Seto while the elder looked on indifferently. His eyes went wide, and as many might expect from someone who had literally just seen a ghost, he fainted.

Seto looked over, waiting for something to wash over him: worry or even love. Neither of the two came. He knew that it was going to take some time for him to get used to this whole not being able to feel thing. It was already bugging him because he couldn't remember how to feel love for his brother. Jou's worry washed over Seto, and he had to act on the aftereffects of that, running over to his brother.

Seto knelt down next to Mokuba, who was now starting to come to. Two violet eyes began to open, and soon widened when Mokuba saw who was holding him. In an instant, his arms were around Seto, and he began balling his eyes out, not sure what to think or believe. Seto gave an empty smile, but that was enough for Mokuba. The younger Kaiba wrapped his arms around his older brother, hugging him close.

"Promise you won't leave again!" It was not a question, but a statement.

"I promise Mokuba," came a voice void of passion. Mokuba smiled up at him, as if he already knew what was the matter. The two had always been close, and they had a very good sense of each other. Mokuba was the only person that Seto never shut himself off to. Now he was also thinking that perhaps Jou deserved a chance, but something else told him that the only reason he thought that was because he would gain something.


	3. Just For My Gain

It had been two weeks now since Kaiba had committed suicide. It had been strange since he had come back to life. Things were to different now that he could feel no emotion. There was nothing worse than being an empty shell. And of course, Kaiba found himself wanting to be around Jounouchi because that meant that he could feel again, although he had to touch the blond in order to do so. He didn't understand why he had been given a second chance. All he knew was that Jounouchi was in love with him for some reason. It wasn't like the CEO had ever been nice to the mutt. So why was he in love with him?

Seto sighed and shook his head. Why did things like this always have to happen to him. From things like idiots plotting world domination to getting stuck in virtual worlds, it seemed like Kaiba was doomed to experience these ridiculous happenings for the rest of his life. Seto looked in the mirror. He looked like normal, but... he could tell that the emotion in his eyes was missing.

He thought back to the day that he had killed himself. Seto knew what he had done was wrong, and as a ghost, seeing his little brother terrified and crying had made him feel guilt. Even though he was solid now, he felt more transparent than ever. He saw Mokuba come into the room, and an empty smile appeared on his face.

"Hey Mokuba."

"Oh, hey Seto. Jounouchi was asking about you today. He was wondering if maybe you wanted to go with him to Yuugi's game shop." Seto thought for a moment, but not about the fact that the blond had made such a request. His thoughts were about the gain he could receive from this. The only time he could feel was when touching the blond. He could accidentally run into Jou as much as he wanted given recent events, and he would be able to still get the sensation of emotion lingering a few minutes after having made contact with the mutt.

"Tell Jou that I'll see him over there." Mokuba's face paled a bit.

"Actually, I already told him he could come and get you here." Seto sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a normal reaction for him, because by now he would be getting a headache. However, it seemed that this was normally caused by irritation, which was one of the things that he had lost when he had been resurrected. Cold... Hard... Empty...

"All right. I should probably go and get ready," Seto replied dully. It would benefit him to have the dog around sooner than he expected, as he could greedily touch the blond and feel everything he wanted to feel. Perhaps... he could use Jou being in love with him to his advantage. Seto's genius idea caused an empty smirk, but the self appraising feeling that normally crept up at this time was absent... just like all his other emotions.

Jou smiled to himself as he looked in the mirror. He had actually made an attempt to pull his hair back, and he had been able to put it into a short, neat ponytail. He looked over himself and folded down the collar of his shirt. Jou had on a light green button up shirt. It was a little wrinkled and a bit messy. He left it untucked, and checked out the tan casual slacks that he was wearing, also a bit wrinkly and messy. Both the shirt and pants hung loose, as Jou felt more comfortable that way.

He looked at himself in the mirror. Jou considered himself now what he called a neat mess, and he thought he looked pretty damn good that way. The blond noticed a small tint stain his cheeks as he thought about how Seto would react to how he looked. He hadn't really noticed, as the mutt was oblivious, that Seto didn't really react to much of anything these days, as the appropriate emotions had escaped him when he had been resurrected.

Jou sighed as he stared at himself in the mirror for a couple more minutes. Finally, he turned around and threw on a pair of brown sneakers. He looked good that way. Jou looked neatly disheveled now. He turned and exited the small apartment that him and his father shared. Right now the old man was at work, and Jou knew he wouldn't mind his son going out just as long as he left a note stating where he was going and what time he thought he would be back. Jou also had a cell phone in case he was not home on time, or in case there was an emergency.

He walked out of the room and then out of the apartment with a little smile on his face. Jou looked around carefully before walking to his car. He knew that one could never be too careful. Once on the road, he thought about what it would be like to be in the same car as Kaiba. He hoped that the CEO wouldn't mind him driving. Jou really didn't want to drive around in one of those fancy schmancy limousines. It took him about 20 minutes for him to get from his end of town to Kaiba Mansion. When Mokuba saw him pulling up to the gates, he opened them for Jou and then called to his brother, who was still in the bedroom.

Once parked, Jou exited the car and walked up the steps, entering the mansion with his heart pounding. He was honestly a little nervous to see Seto, seeing as they hadn't spoken since he had admitted his feelings to Seto. Jou was a little surprised that he had even agreed to come along to the game shop, but the blond was unaware of any ulterior motives that Moneybags might have. The way he saw it, Kaiba actually wanted to spend time with him.

Seto came downstairs, letting out an indifferent sigh. He looked at the mutt. Jou looked good. If Seto was allowed to feel anything, it would have been surprise and shock at how well Jou could... well, kind of clean up anyways. The brunet gave a forced smirk. Honestly, he wasn't sure that he should tell Jou what was going on, but he had all afternoon to decide what to do about the situation.

"I figured that we could take the limousine." Jou shook his head.

"I... uh... I really don't like fancy stuff like that. Could we please just take my car? I know it may not be what you're used to, but... I would really prefer it."

An empty sigh and a quick nod was all he got from Seto. The brunet wasn't sure that it was a good idea, but he decided that he might as well entertain the mutt, seeing as he was the one that was using Jou. He followed the blond out, and... well, nothing, but once again, it would have been shock and surprise at what he saw. There was a used yellow Sunfire in his driveway. It was actually a pretty decent looking car, and one that suited the mutt's personality.

"Nice car..." Seto's voice had no real tone. It was simply... apathetic, and now Jou seemed to notice it. Even if Seto had been slightly monotone before, it was much worse now. He frowned as he looked up at the brunet, who glared at him from the corner of his eye.

"Can we please just get going," Seto feigned irritation. If there was one thing he was good at, it was convincing others. The blond nodded and led the way to his car, opening Seto's door first. He watched as the brunet sat down and reached over to unlock his door. Jou gave him a small smile as he got in.

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Seto shrugged. He "accidentally" brushed his hand against Jou's.

"Sorry..." Jou shrugged. Seto felt his body nearly shiver at the powerful feelings that overcame him. Feeling what Jou was feeling was like a high for the brunet. Jou's emotions were intense as his once has been. There was one, however, that he simply could not discern, and it was by far the most intense that he received from Jou. The blond looked over at him with a small smile, but Seto didn't return it. Honestly, the blond wasn't surprised. He sighed a bit as he looked over at the other male.

"What?"

"Oh... I was just thinking. I was wondering what you thought about me... ya know, being in love with you and stuff." Seto rolled his eyes. The lingering emotions were enough for him to feel a bit of irritation towards the mutt.

"Look... I don't know what's going through that thick skull of yours, but we're not even friends. Keep that in mind." Jou looked down. He pulled the car over and looked up at Seto. A brushing of hands that actually was accidental gave Seto a good look into how he had just hurt Jou. He sighed and shook his head.

"Jou, try to understand something. I'm about as messed up as a person gets. You shouldn't even _want_ to be around me." Jou shook his head.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered, "...but I can't help who I fall in love with."


End file.
